Rail-joint.



B. s. GIILLUM,

RAIL JUINT.

APPLIOATIOI FILED JAI. 13. 1908.

PATBNTBD AU'GQ, 190s.

l- E1 ILT-#.5

Specification of LettersPatent. Animation area January 13,1908. serial No. 410,682.

Parniionrrea BENNETT S. GILLUM, OF STAHL, MISSOURI.

Patented Aug. 4, 1908.

To all whom it may concern.' Be it known that I, BENNETT S. GILLUM, a, citizen of the United States, residing at Stahl, in the county of Adair and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rail-Joints; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it a )pertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in rail joints, and has for its principal object the production of simple and economica-l means of this character which may be employed as the joint for the adjacent or abutting ends of rails in lieu of the various complicated devices for accomplish'- ing this purpose, now in vogue.

A secondary object of the invention is to providea fastening means of such construction that the rail will be positively maintained against dis )lacement and the strain or vibration reducedl to a minimum.

lYith the foregoing and other object-s in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figurel -is a view in side elevation, illustrating the application of the invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the plane indicated b v the dotted lines 2 2 of Flg. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on the plane indicated by the dotted lines @-3 of Fig; 1. Fig 4 is a detail perspective view of one end of one of the rails; and Fig. 5 is a. similar view of one of the connecting bars or members.

Referring to the drawings which are for illustrative purpose only and are therefore not drawn to scale the'numeral 1 indicates the track rails.

In carrying out the invention each end of cach of the rails is formed at opposite sides with a vertically disposed laterally spaced wall 2, which walls are inclined inwardly from the bases of the rails toward the tread portions thereof, leaving spaces 3 between the lnner faces thereof and track rail webs of greater width at the base portions than at the tread portions of the rails. Each of the rails is also formed in its base portion at points adjacent to the inner sides of the walls with longitudinally extending slots 4, and

with' laterally projecting lugs 5 at points above the inner end walls of the slots.

In practice the adjacent ends of the rails are connected or locked together by straifht connectingbars 6 the inner faces of wlnch 60 are preferably flat to fit against the rail webs and the outer edges of which are inclined to correspond with the -inclination of the spaced walls 2. The connecting bars are preferably y of less width than the rail webs andv are 55 formed in-their inner faces near their inner ends with vertical recesses or sockets 7 formed in turn with central recesses 8 in their inner walls.

A vertical locking pin 9 is arranged for ver- 70 tical movement in the socket 7 of each of the connecting bars, said pins being formed with inwardly and laterally extending fingers or extensions 10 which are adapted for limited movement in the recesses S in the inner 75 walls of said sockets.

The inner side edges of the locking pins are recessed at points adjacent to their lower ends, as at 11, to form inwardly extending engaging portions 12 adapted to extend into go the longitudinal slots of the rails and to engage against the enter end walls of said slots. In practice, the adjacent ends of the rails are locked or connected together by inserting the recessed ends of the connect-ing bars be- 35 tween the spaced walls of the rails, the upper ends of the locking pins projecting above the upper edges of the connecting bars and fitting under the tread portions of the rails. By inserting the connecting bars sufficiently thev upper ends of the locking pins will be engaged by the lugs 5 and the lower ends of the former forced into the slots 4, locking the inner ends of the connecting bars o1' members securely to the adjacent ends of the rails. 95 The outer ends of the connecting bars are formed with shoulders 13 designed to engage the inner side edges of the adjacent ends of the rails.

From the fore-going description taken in connection with the drawings it is thought that the construction and operation of the invention will be readily understood without requiring a more expanded explanation. Having thus described the nature of my in\-'ention,`\\-*hat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:-

1. In combination with track rails formed with vertical laterally spaced walls at opposite side edges and ends, and -with longitu- 11oA ...uma- ....m

dinal slots iii-their base portions at points adjacent to the inner ends of said walls, connecting bais formed with shoulders to engage the inner ends -of said walls and in their inner l fa :es near their opposite ends with vertical sockets, the inner end walls of the sockets being formed with recesses, and locking pins i arranged in the lsockets of said connecting bars and provided with laterally projecting portions adapted for limited movement in said recesses.

2. In combination with track rails formed with vertical laterally spaced Walls at opposite side edges and ends, and with longitudinal slots in their base portions at points adjacent to the inner ends of said Walls, connecting bals formed with shoulders to engagethe inner ends of said Walls and in their inner faces near their opposite ends with vertical sockets, the inner end Walls of the sockets being formed with recesses, locking pins arranged in the sockets of said connecting bars and provided with laterally 'projecting portions adapted for limited movement inv said recesses, and means'formed on the raiis for depressing-the lower ends of the locking pins into the slotted portions `ot' the rail bases l during the operation of inserting the connecting bars in position.

3. In combination with track rails formed with vertical laterally spaced walls at opposite side edges and ends, and with longitudinal slots in their base portions at points adjacent to the inner ends of said `walls, con." iiectiiig bars formed With shoulders to eti-. gage the inner ends of said walls and in their inner faces near their opposite ends with vertical sockets, the inner end walls of the sock- -ets being formed with recesses, locking pins arranged in the sockets of said connecting bars and provided with laterally projecting l portions .adaptedfor limited movement in said recesses', and laterally projecting lugs formed on the rail webs to enga-ge the upper ends of the locking pins to force the lower ends of said pins into the slotted portions the rail bases..

4. In combination wi th track rails formed with vertical laterally spaced walls at oppor site side edges and ends and with longitudi- I nal slots in their base portions at the inner ends of said walls, connecting bars formed ai their outer ends with shoulders to engage the inner ends of said Walls and in their inner faces near their opposite ends with vertical sockets, the inner end Walls of the sockets bey ing formed with central vertical recesses. .Y locking pins arranged in the sockets and formed with laterally projecting portions adapted for limited movement in the recesses i in the socket walls, the lower ends of said pins beisng formed with inwardly extendiinT engaging portions adapted to' engage the end walls of the slotted portions of the rail bases.

5. In combination with track rails formed with vertical laterally spaced wallsfat opposite side edges and ends, andwvith longitudinal slots in their base portions at the inner ends of said walls, connecting bars formed at their outer ends with shouldcrs toengage the inner ends of said walls and in their inner faces near their opposite ends with vertical sockets, the inner end walls of the sockets befornied with central vertical recesses,

vlocking pins arranged in the sockets and formed with laterally projecting portions adapted for limited movement in the recesses in the socket walls, the lower ends of said pins being formed with inwardly extending engaging portions adapted to engage the end walls of the slotted portions of the rail bases, and laterally projecting lugs formed on the to engage the upper ends of the locking pins during the operation of inserting the connecting bars in position. j

6. In combination with track rails formed with vertical laterally spaced walls at opposite side edges and ends and with longitudinal slots in their base portions at the inner ends of said walls, connecting bars formed at their outer ends with shoulders to engage the, inner ends of said walls, and in their inner faces near their opposite ends with vertical sockets, the inner end walls of the sockets being formed with central vertical recesses,

locking pins arranged in the sockets, and

provided with laterally projecting portions adapted for limited movement in said recesses, the upper ends of the pins projecting above the adjacent portions of the coniicctiig bars when their laterally projecting poriionsare at the limit of upward movement and the inner side edges of said pins being recessed to produce inwardly extending engagingportions at the lower ends thereof adapted to engage with the outer end walls of the slotted portions of the rail bases when the laterally projecting portions of the locking pins are at the limit of downward movement, .and means formed on the rails for depressing alle locking pins into locking position during ille operation of inserting the connecting bars .in position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set C- A. LEONARD, CARL L. CRooKs.

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